The present invention relates in general to centrifugal pumps and, more particularly, to a centrifugal pump of the pitot type, such a pump comprising, as its general elements, a rotary casing, means for delivering a fluid to be pumped to the rotary casing, a discharge duct coaxial with the rotary casing, and a pitot tube in the rotary casing for picking up fluid adjacent the periphery of the casing with a ram effect and for delivering the fluid to the discharge duct. More particularly, the pitot tube extends radially of the rotary casing and is provided adjacent its outer end with an inlet adjacent the periphery of the rotary casing and facing in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the rotary casing. The pitot tube is provided with a circumferentially rearwardly extending passage connecting the inlet to the outer end of a radial passage within the pitot tube, such radial passage having adjacent its inner end an outlet communicating with the discharge duct.
Such pitot pumps are well known, one typical of the prior art being disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,658, issued Dec. 4, 1973 to John W. Erickson, one of the applicants herein.
More particularly, the present invention contemplates a pitot pump utilized as a liquid fuel pump, and it will be considered in such connection hereinafter as a matter of convenience in disclosing the invention. However, it will be understood that, in some instances, at least, the pitot pump of the invention may be utilized for pumping gaseous fuels, and again achieving constant flow independent of discharge pressure.